Fragile Existence
by Fayte
Summary: After the epic Sorceress War is over, Squall is caught in the threads of Time Compression. Rinoa will stop at nothing to find her knight. Kurse all who stand in her way...
1. Prologue

**Fragile Existence**

**_Prologue_**

**_

* * *

_**

None of it was real; I never did find Squall after The Battle. It was merely Time Compression messing around with my mind. I remember someone telling me to think of where I wanted to be, who I wanted to be with, so that we would all come back together. I assume they all imagined themselves safely back in Balamb, or just back at the Garden… But I wanted to be with Squall. I wanted him to be by my side; I wanted to make sure he was still alive. Although I was thinking only of him, I never truly did find him. I thought I had found him, out in that barren desert… but it was only a dream; it was only the forces of Time Compression disrupting my mind.

Why wasn't Squall really there? Did he die? What happened to him? I just can't think of any logical reason as to why he didn't come back with us. Why was he the only one that didn't come back? Why did he have to disappear? These questions will probably never be answered if I just sit around doing nothing. I have to take action. I have to find out what happened to him and if he's still out there somewhere. I will find him if it's the last thing I do. I won't let anything get in my way. I won't let anything stop me. _Kurse anyone who gets in my way…_

* * *

It was weeks after The War had ended. Stories of The Battle flooded news papers and televisions everywhere. The disappearance of Squall was broadcast world-wide in hopes that someone might find him. Still to this day, there are no leads, no nothing. Some people have already forgotten about him and have moved on to better things. The only people who seem to really care are those who attend any of the three Gardens. Headmaster Cid is especially distraught at the fact that Squall did not returned from The Battle. Even Seifer shows signs of dismay knowing that his rival didn't make it back; who is he to scoff at now? Who would he be able to challenge in a one-on-one battle with Gunblades?

I don't think anyone is as distraught as Laguna Loire is. Although I am not completely positive, I do have a hunch that he may be Squall's father. After all, he did tell Squall that he had something to tell him after everything was over. I could only imagine Laguna was waiting to tell him the truth. Again, I'm not completely positive, but I will find out soon. Esthar has been doing well, considering their president is evidently depressed. No one really knows about it though because you could only imagine how the city would react if they found out that the president was falling apart. Being the biggest city in the world, Laguna has to be careful not to upset Esthar so hell won't break loose. Everyone adores him so much; it is hard not to love him. He does everything right and stands for all that is peaceful.

Laguna had come to Balamb Garden shortly after The Battle and talked to Cid about Squall. I couldn't help but eave's drop on their conversation. Although I didn't get all of the details, I heard enough to know that Laguna is becoming more depressed and anxious as each day rolls by. He even mentioned something about taking some time away from his presidential duties to visit Winhill. I'm sure I'll be able to find him there soon. I've been calling Kiros a lot to check up on Laguna, but so far there's no news of him leaving to Winhill.

Quistis is severely upset about Squall's disappearance; she has vowed to never give up on searching for him if it is the last thing she does. I know her and Squall were close before I came in to the picture, so I can understand why she is so upset. She's been out to several towns and cities looking for Squall. Zell tags along with her for support. Selphie and Irvine have retreated to Trabia. I know they care a lot about Squall, but they also care a lot about Trabia Garden and its repair. Their plan is to stay up in Trabia and help with the Garden, as well as keep up with the search for Squall in the northern regions.

I on the other hand have been doing my own thing. I know it seems almost unreal that we would all separate and go our own ways, especially when there is one of us missing, but we decided that we could cover more ground if we split up. I offered to do my investigating alone. I couldn't possibly have my friends see me this way; I don't want them to see how much of a wreck I have become. I try to be strong, but I can't help but breakdown in tears over the loss of the one thing that meant the most to me: Squall Leonheart; my knight.

I can't stay here any longer for I am only wasting time now. Cid will be leaving Balamb Garden soon to join Edea at the Orphanage. There are so many questions I have to ask him about Squall, and there are so many questions I have been dying to ask Edea. This whole Sorceress business better not interrupt my quest to find Squall. Even though I am a Sorceress, I'm sure it won't take over me like it had Edea, Adel and Ultimecia. I know it was ultimately Ultimecia who was controlling each of them, but somehow I don't believe Ultimecia has completely left the world… I even have nightmares where she takes control of me again. It's frightening, but it can't be real. Right?

I shouldn't worry about that right now. I need to get out of this room and begin my quest to find Squall. I will find him some day and when I do, I will never let him go. I can't go another day without my knight by my side… I'm afraid that someday I may lose kontrol over my powers…


	2. Chapter One

**Fragile Existence**

**_Chapter One_**

* * *

"Are you ever going to come out of your room?" my father's voice broke the unsettling silence of the atmosphere. "You've been in there for days, don't you think it's time you got some fresh air?" I heard him lean up against my door. I could imagine him standing there folding his arms and shaking his head. He was surprised I had come back to Deling City after all I had been through; I had no choice really; I couldn't go back to Balamb because I didn't belong there. I didn't belong anywhere without Squall.

I tried to stay strong as I confronted my father for the first time after the Sorceress War. It felt like it had been so long since I last saw him, and even though I still despised him, he was the only person I could turn to. I hadn't called him ahead of time to tell him I was coming home, but somehow I knew he would be there. The moment he opened the front door I could feel myself breakdown. I began to cry as I let him comfort me in his arms. It was so awkward, but it felt so right. "I heard what happened," he stated in a calm voice. He silently understood.

After that, I withdrew to my old bedroom. I've barely eaten since I've come home, but I can't be bothered to eat; I haven't got the time. I've been spending most of my time reading articles in the papers and watching the news on the television, trying to find answers to impossible questions. I've made more than a handful of calls to several people and so far they've gotten me nowhere closer to finding Squall.

"Rinoa?" my father's voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts. I pulled myself away from my journal and tucked in back into an old box and back under my bed. Slowly, I stood up and made my way to the door and cautiously opened it because I knew he was leaning against it. Quickly, he jolted away from the door and turned to face me. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'll be fine," I lied. "I just have a lot on my mind, and I have a lot to do." I leaned against the doorway and looked away from him, examining the hallway. Even though I lived here, it all seemed so unfamiliar. The oil paintings that line the hall are mysteries to me, and I vaguely remember the green wallpaper and dull pink curtains; what a combination.

He nodded his head and turned the other way holding his hands behind his back and looking up at one of the many oil paintings. "I worry about you. Please take care, whatever you decide to do," his voice was quiet and precise. He took a deep breath in and let it out with a sigh as he began his return to his office. I just stood there, leaning against the doorway, still examining the unfamiliar hallway. Where am I to begin? Who shall I visit first and who will have the answers I am looking for?

Suddenly my head began to throb; it feels as though someone is inside my head, slowly clawing at my skull to get out. It isn't as bad as my previous headaches though, which have been recurring a lot lately. I suppose it's from all of the stress that The War has left me with. I'm sure that the headaches will stop someday soon. At least, I hope they do.

I returned to my bedroom and took out my journal again, and found a pen to write with.

_Today is the day I will make my departure from the comfort of my home in Deling City. I've already wasted too much time by sitting around doing nothing but drowning in my sorrow. I have gathered as much information as I can from the news and through a few phone calls to friends, but now it is time to really confront people about this whole issue. I worry that I will never find Squall again, but somewhere in my heart, I believe he is still out there. _

_I've decided that I will begin in Balamb, where Squall spent a good ten years or so of his life. I know Cid may have some useful information, and maybe even Seifer; after all, he was a knight to Edea and Adel. He must have some sort of information on the Sorceresses and their powers. Of course, no one but Edea could really tell me the full extent of a Sorceress's power, although she didn't have such radical powers as Ultimecia did._

_I seem to be rambling now. I must pack some things and get ready to return to Balamb again. I'll tell father in a moment; I'm sure he will understand. After all, he just told me I need to get some fresh air. My head is pounding; I hope it goes away soon. I'll try to make sure I write in here as much as possible so I don't forget a thing. I can't help but be paranoid; I'm carrying one of the most powerful Guardian Forces ever: Griever. _

_I never did get the chance to return him to Squall…_

After reading the entry once over, I closed my journal and placed it carefully on my bed. I held the rings on my necklace and memories suddenly flooded my mind. It was slightly unsettling when I remembered how it felt being lost in space, without Squall by my side. He had found me though, and he somehow saved my life. Now it is my turn to return the favor. I have to find him.

There is only one thing I have to do before I lleave and that is to make one final phone call. I sat on my bed and stared at the phone for a few minutes before I picked it up. My fingers automatically dialed the numbers; I didn't even have to think about it; I had dialed this number about a million times.

"May I help you?" a woman's voice crackled through the phone.

"I'd like to speak to Kiros Seagill, please," the woman recognized my voice immediately and put me through to his line. There was a pause before he spoke in to the phone.

"Hello Rinoa," he greeted in a calm voice. "I know what you've called for. Unfortunately, he seems to be a wreck at the moment and I doubt he has the strength to leave Esthar for the time being." I could tell he was saddened by this; who wouldn't be? Laguna Loire, although slightly clumsy and shy at times, is a strong man dedicated to his city and its people. Not only that, but he is dedicated to making the world a better place; he is a peacekeeper. His breakdown no doubt would throw the whole city of Esthar off its rails.

"If that is how it is going to be," I began to speak slowly, thinking of a plan, "then I will just have to come to Esthar myself to speak with him." Kiros paused again before replying.

"That may not be the best idea," he pointed out. "I know Laguna has been a wreck lately, and it's all understandable, but he needs this time to himself to recover from this whole thing. It's been weeks since The War ended, but slowly, Laguna is pulling himself together. I'm sure that he will be feeling better in the next week or so. Right now he seems very fragile and likely to break if he becomes too overwhelmed. I'm sorry Rinoa, but we have to think of everyone else's emotions right now. We can only imagine what would happen if Laguna was unable to handle his job as the president of the largest city on the planet."

Kiros has a very good point. Laguna is an emotional wreck at the moment, and I'm sure that I wouldn't make it any better by poking and prodding him with questions, especially when they're directed at his _son_. I _know_ Laguna is Squall's father; it's quite obvious now.

"Thank you Kiros," I spoke into the phone. "I shall be contacting you again soon. I'll be leaving Deling City today, so you won't be able to reach me at my house anymore. I'm not entirely sure where I'm headed, but I will be sure to stay in contact." I hung up the phone and sighed. Laguna is really the only person I want to talk to but he's a complete wreck at the moment and I'm going to have to wait another week or so to confront him.

I grabbed my journal and took one last look around my room; it was almost completely empty except for the bed, a desk, and a shelf full of books. Outside the window, I could see the afternoon sun peaking around a couple of the buildings. The weather looks beautiful; it seems to be the perfect day to depart. I left the room and closed the door behind me. Swiftly, I walked down the hall towards my father's office where I knew he'd be lost in paperwork.

"I'm leaving," I said bluntly. He was startled at my sudden presence in the room and stared up at me with a blank expression. After a moment's hesitation, he put his papers down and leaned back in his chair. A small grin swept across his face, but I knew he was worried about me.

"Where…" he began to speak slowly.

"I'm going to find some answers," I interrupted before he could ask. I didn't want this to turn into some uncomfortable departure. "I'll see you around." I turned away and headed towards the door. He didn't say anything until I had my hand on the doorknob.

"Be careful, Rinoa," he said. I silently answered him with a nod. I opened the door and closed it slowly behind me. I walked slowly down the hall rubbing my temples in an effort to help suppress my headache. I opened the front door and stepped outside for the first time in a week. The sunlight burned my eyes momentarily, but they adjusted themselves after I rubbed the pain out of them. There was a slight breeze that carried the scent of roses. I looked up to the sky and took a deep breath. This is where my journey begins; I will find Squall one way or another.


	3. Chapter Two

**Fragile Existence**

**_Chapter Two_**

* * *

The train station isn't far from my house, so I don't have too much walking to do, nor do I have much time to really think straight. In fact, I can't seem to process anything through my mind because of this massive headache I have. I'm slightly concerned about the headaches; almost concerned enough to speak to Dr. Odine about them. I know I may just be paranoid, but what if these headaches are being caused by something other than stress and worry? Then again, maybe I shouldn't worry about them and they'll just go away by themselves.

As I approached the train station, the familiar sounds brought a flash of happiness. I remembered my days as Leader of the Timber Forest Owls and how I was so dedicated to my job. Those days are over now, though. I sometimes wish I could go back to being the way I used to be, before I became a Sorceress… _Sigh_… I bought my ticket and sat down on one of the benches while I waited for the train to arrive.

The man sitting next to me was reading the Deling Daily: the local newspaper. I couldn't help but scan the newspaper for any articles about Squall, or anything out of the ordinary. One article in particular caught my eye. It was something about the random appearances of monsters within the cities. This was something that normally never happened, in fact there was only one time when monsters appeared in the cities, and that was during the Lunar Cry. As far as I'm concerned, there is no Lunar Cry going on at the moment.

Before I had the chance to ask the man if I could borrow his newspaper, the train pulled in to the station. The man looked at his watch an stood up while folding the newspaper. Shortly after, he disappeared in the crowd of people. I stood up as well and made my way over to the train and gave the man my ticket. I got on board and found myself a small private room and sat down. A newspaper sat on the seat opposite from me. Without hesitation, I leaned over and picked it up.

I settled in my seat and leaned against the window. It will be a few hours before we arrive in Dollet, and from there I'll have to take a boat over to Balamb which will be another hour or so. I opened the newspaper and scanned the pages until I came across an article titled, "_Mysterious Monsters: An Early Sign Of Lunar Cry?_" I continued to read on.

_There have been several reports in the past week of monsters mysteriously appearing within the cities. Normally, this would never happen until a Lunar Cry, which has only ever happened twice in the past seventeen years. Could this be a sign of another apocalyptic event? Scientists around the world debate the issue._

_"It couldn't possibly be another Lunar Cry," Dr. P. Torama of Timber states. "We only just witnessed the second recorded Lunar Cry in history; it is much too soon for another one to happen. It's just impossible. With the Sorceress War over, who could possibly be controlling a Lunar Cry anyway?"_

_Another theory that has surfaced is the theory of left-over threads of Time Compression slowly coming undone. "I believe that when the Time Compression took place, several monsters were caught in it's threads, and now it is slowly winding down, causing the monsters to appear out of nowhere, in odd places such as the cities," says Adria Grendel, a student of Galbadia Garden. "Since the end of The War, I've been studying the effects of the Time Compression. Although I can't say my research is completely accurate, and most of it is hypothesis, I do believe that these monster appearances have something to do with the Time Compression." _

_Even though our biggest threat has been abolished, we still have to watch our backs. Volunteer cadets from each of the Gardens have been dispatched around the world to help protect civilians from the monsters. To date, there have been no reports of any deaths, but there have been several attacks. No one knows how long this will last for, but we can only hope that it is coming to an end soon._

A glimmer of hope sparked in my heart again. Could it be true? Are these monsters the remnants of the Time Compression? If they have been spontaneously appearing again, in our time, could it be possible that Squall is still caught in the threads of Time Compression? I can only hope that he will appear in front of me at any moment. I closed my eyes and imagined him. His comforting cold eyes locked on to mine gave me a sense of safety. I can always count on Squall to keep me safe…

I opened my eyes again and set the paper down. I pulled out my journal and began to write again.

_Could it be possible that Squall is still attached to the threads of Time Compression? An article in the newspaper says that monsters have been appearing randomly throughout the cities. I'm sure they've also been appearing elsewhere as well, such as the deserts and plains. No one would know though because monsters are always roaming the continents. Will Squall randomly appear again? What if he is dropped off in the middle of the ocean!_

My head began to hurt more than ever. Just thinking about Squall drowning in the middle of the ocean made my heart sink into oblivion. What if he had randomly appeared in the snowy mountains of Trabia? What if he froze to death? I'll never be able to see him again! I took a deep breath and held it in for a moment before releasing. Squall would be able to survive; he can survive anything. He has his Guardian Forces with him and they will help him if he is ever in peril.

I began to breath normally again and continued to write.

_I just need to calm down. I'm sure Squall can handle anything the world throws at him. I just have to keep my fingers crossed and hope that he will make it back in one piece, and still alive. _

_This girl, Adria Grendel, a student at Galbadia Garden, has this theory that the monsters are randomly appearing because they are slowly being let out of the Time Compression. It sounds a bit strange that the Time Compression hasn't fully worn off yet, but I now believe that can be a possibility. I plan on visiting Adria some time on this journey. I have a lot of people I need to see, and now she's another one to add to the ever-growing list. I first need to speak with Cid though. I'm not quite sure what I am going to ask him exactly. I'm kind of just going with the wind here; I'm going where my mind is telling me to without much thought. Cid has a lot of connections to people, so I'm sure some way or another, he will be able to help me._

_Cid can take me to Edea, I think I will ask her about these headaches. I'm sure if they have anything to do with being a Sorceress, she will know. I should probably rest up now. Maybe if I fall asleep, my headache will be gone by the time I awaken._

I read over my entry again to make sure I didn't leave anything out. Slowly, I closed the journal and sat it next to me with the pen sitting on top of it. I looked out the window and watched the day go by as we crossed the desert. I felt my eyes begin to get heavy as I stretched and yawned. The warmth of the sun flooding through the window made me feel overpoweringly tired. I closed my eyes and let myself fall into sleep…

I awoke as I was suddenly jerked off of my seat and flung to the opposite side of the small room. I forgot all about my headache as I was now in immense pain from being jolted from my seat. I heard screaming outside and there was a sudden thud. A shockwave passed through me as the train rumbled. I looked out the window and noticed the train had stopped. Out of curiosity, I reached up and unlocked the window to slide it open. I cautiously peeked my head outside and nothing could prepare me for what I saw next; there was a huge monster stopped on the tracks.

Quickly, I ran out of the small room and down the hall towards one of the doors. There were people running around like idiots screaming their brains out as the conductor was trying to keep them calm. A few cadets that were riding the train were in battle stance outside, preparing themselves for battle. I don't have my Valkyrie with me, but I do have magic. I rushed over to aid them in battle, but one of the male cadets told me to stand back.

I was slightly insulted, but I know he is only trying to protect me. I stood back and watched as they engaged in battle with the enormous creature. Somehow, it looked oddly familiar; I think I've seen it before, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It looks alarmingly similar to a Behemoth, but it's larger and slightly different.

Suddenly I knew where I had seen this creature before; it was one of the monsters from Ultimecia's castle. I thought we had destroyed that monster back when we were there, before the Time Compression. Could it be possible that the Time Compression disrupted more than just the present time? Could it have disrupted the past as well, intertwining it with threads of everything else? It's far too confusing to think about, in fact, I don't even know what I'm currently thinking. I can't seem to make sense of it, but somehow it makes sense without having to.

I shook my head in confusion and watched the cadets fight off the large monster. I studied it as I stood there, looking for anything out of the ordinary, anything that would help me to understand the random appearance of the monsters linked to the Time Compression. To my dismay, there wasn't anything abnormal about the creature, and it didn't seem to have any strange effects on the cadets who came into contact with it.

My head began to throb again and a sharp pain jolted up my spine. I felt myself falling towards the ground; I had been struck by something. I began to breath heavily, trying to fill my lungs with air, but the sharp pains were too much to handle. There was an abrupt silence that startled me; I couldn't hear anything, not even the throb in my head. Am I breathing? What is going on?

_"Rinoa… Rinoa! Where are you?" that voice… I know that must be Squall! "Am I… alone?" his voice echoed in my head._

_"Squall!" I shouted into the darkness. It was too dark to tell where I was, or if I was even in existence. "You're not alone Squall! I'm here!" I yelled as loud as I could, trying to follow his voice._

_"Will I ever get back home?" Squall questioned._

_"Squall!" I called out._

_"Rinoa…" there was a quiver in his voice. I couldn't find him anywhere. I ran without moving, I screamed without making a sound and I cried without tears. How was I ever to find him if I was trapped in darkness?_

"Are you all right?" I opened my eyes and found myself back in the train. There was someone sitting next to me with his hands on my shoulders. I couldn't quite see straight, but… Could it be? Is it Squall?

"Squall?" my voice was quiet and shaky.

"Sorry…" the voice apologized. "I'm not Squall. My name is Alexander. I'm a cadet from Galbadia Garden. I saw you get struck by one of the monsters and so I brought you here to see if you were all right. How are you feeling?" I rubbed my eyes and took a good look at Alexander. He was about Squall's age. He almost had the same hair… But just a bit lighter. His eyes were an endless abyss of ice blue and his skin was lightly colored, like Zell's. His appearance somewhat bewildered me because of the strange resemblance to Squall.

"I'm fine," my voice was still shaky, but a little more pronounced. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them tightly. Although Alexander reminds me of Squall in a strange way, I don't want him to be here right now. I need time to myself. I always need time to myself these days, but now more than ever.

"Are you sure?" his calm voice was soothing. I looked out the window again and noticed we were moving again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," again, I lied. "I just need some time to myself. I'm sorry, but I have a lot on my mind." Without saying a word, he nodded and left me alone in the small room. Soon we should be arriving at the train station in Dollet. It will only be a matter of time before I finally reach Balamb.


	4. Chapter Three

**Fragile Existence**

**_Chapter Three_**

* * *

The sun was setting as the train pulled into the station just outside the small, quiet town of Dollet. This is where most people would call a taxi and actually pay to miss the beautiful scenery between the station and Dollet. With the sun setting, the sky looked like it was on fire with wisps of purple and pink pastel. The ocean mirrored the sky and gave the appearance of a beautifully broken image. The constant sound of the ocean waves crashing upon the rocks was like heavenly music to the ears; it was tranquil and relaxing. Some people say the sound of the waves crashing upon the rocks drives some people to jump off the high rocks and plunge to their death. Morbid yet beautiful all at the same time.

There were many taxis pulling up to the train station, waiting for anyone to hop in and dish out money. I wasn't about to throw away money like that, so I began to walk; it would only take twenty minutes or so to get to town. The view was spectacular. There were mountains on either side of the town, casting large shadows onto the plains below. The sun was setting almost directly in the middle, between the two mountains. The sky high up above was beginning to turn a deep blue, but the closer to the horizon it got, the more color flushed through. Streams of white clouds floated along the horizon, slowly dying with the day.

I don't understand why anyone would want to pay to miss this. The cool breeze carried a hint of the ocean. I folded my arms in front of my chest and tucked my hands into my sides to keep them warm. As the sun continued to set on the horizon, I couldn't take my eyes away. There were no thoughts in my mind, not even a single thread. These were the moments I longed for; moments like this were one's I cherished forever. It's not easy to forget about the weight on your shoulders, and everything you need to be worrying about.

I made it into town before nightfall. My stomach growled and demanded some food. I didn't want to risk missing the boat, so I decided I would check out the departure time before I fed myself. There were many people standing around the boat schedule, so it took a while before I could get to the front of the crowd to check it. Along the way there, I heard some people mumbling and searching through their pockets. People were shaking their heads and cursing under their breath; this was not a good sign at all.

As I finally made it to the schedule, I noticed there was a piece of paper posted up on the board. It read "_There will be no departures for the rest of the day due to technical difficulties_." I let out a sigh of frustration and found my way out of the crowd. How could this be? This will set me back an entire day; I can't believe this!

The temperature in the air was slowly declining, and my stomach growled a little louder. I guess there's nothing else to do but settle in at the Hotel. I know there are a few restaurants around town, so I guess I'll have to pick one to eat at. Slowly, I began walking the darkening streets of Dollet. Town Center was merely a stones throw away. Upon arriving, I noticed that there were many people dining at the many restaurants; it may be a little difficult to find a table since everyone who is missing their boat must be staying over night.

Although it was getting darker by the minute, Town Center was alight with many calm lights. Dollet didn't have very many bright lights, unlike cities such as Deling. The neon lights of Dollet were subtle, as were the street lights; it helped ease people's minds before the day was done. Even though I'm used to the bright lights of the cities, it's always nice for a change to see the calm lights here.

As I was passing by one of the restaurants, I noticed a familiar face sitting at a table out on the patio. He waved when he caught my eye and I stopped walking. "Hey, over here!" he yelled over the crowd of people. I began walking closer to him, and as I did so, I noticed that it was Alexander. Did he have business here in Dollet? Or was he also trying to get over to Balamb? I made my way through the crowd of people and he stood up to pull out a chair for me as I got closer to the table.

"Thanks," I sat down in the chair and he returned to his seat. The small round table had only enough room for two people, so I wondered if he had come by himself. I guess he hadn't ordered any food yet because the table was still perfectly set with the menus, two glasses of water and dinner utensils. "Are you here with someone?" I questioned him, feeling slightly uneasy.

"No," he replied. "Are you hungry? Feel free to get anything you want; I'll pay." He offered me a free dinner. I hope he doesn't think that I'm going to fall for him over this. My stomach growled again. I couldn't possibly let him pay for my food.

"That's all right," I told him, "I can pay for my meal, but thanks for the offer." He nodded and picked up his menu and began to scan it. The food was fairly priced here, not that I had to worry about that. After a few moments had passed, I put my menu down and took a sip of the iced water. Alexander was still searching the menu, slowly turning the pages, looking back and forth between them.

"Have you decided what you are getting this evening?" a young waitress stood next to the table with a small notepad and pen in her hand. She noticed Alexander was still searching the menu and so she gestured towards me.

"I'll have tonight's dinner special, please," I ordered. The young waitress jotted down a scribble on her pad. "And the water is fine," I stated as I took another sip of it.

"And you, sir?" the waitress turned to Alexander who slowly pulled his eyes away from the menu.

"Yes, I'll have the same as her," he replied, "and the water is also fine for me." The waitress jotted another scribble on to her notepad and took the menus from us and disappeared into the restaurant. It was so busy that there were numerous lineups just to get in to several restaurants around Town Center. I was lucky enough to have someone save me a seat, even if it was unintentionally.

"Thanks for helping me bypass the line," I leaned forward on to the table and looked around the crowded restaurant patio. Several people were eating, others were ordering and some had just finished up their meals and were taking part in decadent desserts. I sighed and leaned my head on the table for a moment.

"You never did tell me your name," Alexander pointed out as he leaned himself closer to me. His light hair fell into his face and he brushed it aside. Why does he have to look so much like Squall? Or maybe he really doesn't and I'm only imagining things. I shook my head and sat up.

"Rinoa… Rinoa Heartilly," I informed him as I took another sip of water. He leaned back in his chair and stretched for a moment before putting his elbow on the table and leaning his chin onto his hand. Before he could say anything else, I felt like I had to tell him my life story. Not only that, but I wanted to make it clear to him that I wasn't exactly interested in him in _that way_.

"I'm trying to gather as much information as I can about the Time Compression," I began speaking. "I'm looking for someone… Squall Leonheart… I believe he might have been caught in the threads of Time Compression and I have to find out if he will ever make it back to this time." Alexander nodded as if silently telling me he understood. "You see… Even though the Sorceress War has come to an end, there are still many things out there that we have to watch out for, such as those monsters randomly appearing within the cities." I paused for a moment before I continued, taking a deep breath in and letting it out, "I have to find Squall if it is the last thing I do. Nothing seems real without him here…"

"I see," Alexander spoke.

"I'm sorry for rambling on like that," I apologized to him, "I just needed to spill it to _someone_…"

"Don't worry about it," he clasped his hands together on the table and looked up to the starry sky, then to me. His ice blue eyes were piercing and entrancing; it was hard not to look at them. Slightly embarrassed, I turned my head nonchalantly to look at the people sitting at the table next to us. The young waitress who took our order was making her way through the crowd towards our table with our food. It looked so delicious; I was probably drooling at the mouth, but I didn't care because I was so hungry.

Our food was set on the table, and without speaking another word, we both began to eat. I was lost in thoughts of Squall and Time Compression as I ate. Slowly, piece by piece, I ate my dinner and placed my fork and knife neatly on to the plate. I was too full to finish the rest of it, but Alexander was still eating. It felt extremely awkward eating at a restaurant with someone I didn't even know, but somehow I felt I could trust Alexander. Could it be the way he reminds me of Squall?

"Where are you headed to?" I interrupted his dinner. I was quite curious to know now. He placed his fork down on his plate and wiped his mouth with a napkin and sat back in his chair.

"I'm transferring over to Balamb Garden," he replied. "There's going to be a boat for me in no less than an hour or so."

"A boat is coming to pick you up?" my eyes widened. "From Balamb?" He nodded and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going to Balamb as well?" he asked. I nodded my head and a hopeful smile washed across my face. "I know the public boat has been cancelled for the night, did you want to get a ride with me?"

"I'd love to," my voice was full of excitement. "I have to go to Balamb Garden as well, I have to talk to the Headmaster there before he retires." I drank the rest of my water and gave out a sigh of relief. Maybe I won't be set back a day in my search for Squall. I may be able to speak with Cid tonight so I can get an early start tomorrow.

Too many thoughts were dancing through my head for the rest of the night. Alexander had finished his dinner and we sat and talked for a long time. Our conversations didn't include anything really important, we mostly talked about Galbadia and Deling City. It was a strange topic, but it passed the time.

We headed down to the docks and hopped aboard the boat and made our way across the ocean to Balamb. From there we got a ride to Balamb Garden. It wasn't a very long ride, but it seemed like it had taken forever. It was probably because I was so anxious to get there. The instructor who had come to pick up Alexander had taken him to his dorm room, leaving me by myself. We said goodbye to each other, and I began to walk towards the main elevator. It was nice meeting Alexander, but I probably won't see him again after tonight because I'll probably be gone by the morning.

When I had finally made it to the elevator, I stopped for a brief moment to let my thoughts catch up to me. The day seemed like a blur of nothingness. I felt like I had gotten nothing accomplished. The whole trip to Balamb took far too long, but now that I am here, I can feel relieved. I don't know exactly where I'm going to go from here, but I guess that all depends upon what Cid tells me.

* * *

A/N: I know this story is starting off very dull, but I promise it will pick up in the next chapter. I just have to get all of the boring travel out of the way before I can really start picking away at the purpose of this fic. 


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